Cindy Evans Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Julie, Thanks for hosting the clinic. Jack was great, and it was an impressive clinic. The hospitality shown was fantastic! Thank you for all the work that you, and the people who helped, did to make us all so welcome! I enjoyed meeting everyone, and I hope to make it again next time. Now if I can just apply what I learned! Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Yes, Thank you Julie! The clinic was wonderful and I now know better how to deal with some issues now. I can't say enough good about the clinic and Jacks expertise - the food however was out of this world! And many thanks to all who loaned me blankets Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Photos??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 We'll all chip in to the hand/feet warmer fund for the participants from southern climes next time. The weather was actually quite nice (yeah, I know, sorry Karen!) - rain kept threatening but never bothered us. It went really nicely considering how sort of last minute it ended up being put together (my fault) - Julie and friends really stepped up. The food was tremendous, the farm was set up so conveniently for everything - how often does a host offer a Real Bathroom for an event? And Jimmy and his mom - dropped right in the middle of all the craziness - batted nary an eye and kept the food coming, watched the proceedings with interest, and smiled and talked a whole lot and made guests feel very welcome. Jimmy even fired up the gas fireplace and practically drove everyone out of the house to help us warm up our sick lambs that Patrick had to bring down Sunday (they did not make it by the way ). Thanks to Laura and her hospitality, without which I wouldn't have made it as it turned out, as we are now a one car family for the foreseeable future. Jack was right on his game. I think it's often most fun to see him work with a bunch of new people, though some of the experienced dogs were nice to see with their more subtle issues (including Julie's 400 Pound White One, who was quite brilliant but demonstrated an interesting training issue I never would have thought of). I think this was one of the most constructive clinics for me personally in a long time. I think it's mostly because my working with Robin has helped given me some order to what's going on out there - like a blind person who has sounds described for long enough that they can guess at what they are "seeing". I was doing something not quite right and really, really adding to Ted's tension - to the point that he's flinchy when he's around sheep. I guess I'll post more in the training section because it's rather subtle and I don't want to take away from the thank yous. Suffice it to say that I needed a good pounding in the head and I got it this weekend just when I needed it worst. It was good to see everyone - some old faces and some new - lots of new! I'm hoping we can all get together a good bit more this year. We'll see what happens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 I enjoyed watching the clinic a lot yesterday - it was nice to put some faces to names. And the food was yummy! Nice to get to visit with Jack a bit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepandakom Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 We also had a wonderful time at the clinic. Everything was perfect. Great job Julie and anyone else who helped put the clinic on. Emily Manse and Rebel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Julie went above and beyond the call of duty in my case and let Violet, Faith and I have the use of her guestroom for three nights. The accomodations were outstanding and included two wonderfully warm purry kitties to snuggle with at night and a bathroom border collie to shower with in the mornings. The clinic ran like clockwork and Julie and Laura provided very nice sheep to work with. Jimmy and his mom proved that culinary expertise may indeed be genetic. Jimmy's venison stew and his mama's pimento cheese and turkey salad were the best I've ever tasted. Mary Looper brought a very tasty leg of lamb as well. And the clinic participants were a wonderful supportive group who made it easy to relax and focus on what you were there to learn. A big thank-you to all concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 There were really some memorable culinary experiences at this one. I had a hint of what was to come as I've tasted the cooking of all the providers with the exception of Mrs. Cox. That pimento cheese! I've got to get the recipe. Cheese ban be darned - it was worth the pain. I think next year I'm going to have to beg for some recipes - or make the clinic pot luck! God willin' and the crick don't ris', we'll have Jack back again in NC or wherever we happen to be at the time, this time next year. Thanks to Julie we have now held this date three years in a row and it is pretty much "ours" now. So mark your calendars, second weekend in January! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Hey Everyone, Now that I've gotten Jack off to the airport, I just want to say thank you to all the folks who helped make the clinic a success. My plan was to keep the food simple, but it just sort of took off! The Cox genes include an entertaining and feeding folks gene, which Mary Luper also has, so we were well-cared-for in the food department. But y'all could have left me more leftovers! Laura's chili on Friday (yep, not only did I make Laura chauffeur Jack around but I also forced her to make some of her world-class chili--yum!--for everyone's lunch on Friday) was excellent paired with Ida's home-made pimiento cheese (I believe Ida gave the recipe to Darci, so we can get it easily enough). Saturday was Jimmy's homemade chicken noodle soup and Ida's turkey salad. Sunday Jimmy made deer stew and Mary provided a delicious leg of lamb (it was a new recipe for her and it turned out great). Jimmy, Ida, and Mary kept the desserts coming as well: rum cake, German chocolate cake, pecan pie, chocolate pie, and butter pecan cake. Jack even commented this morning that he tries to eat light most of the time because he knows the folks giving clinics are going to fatten him up! Thanks especially to Laura, Sandy, Patrick, Becca, PJ, Joey, Tony, Mary, and Jimmy for helping build a round pen the week before the clinic. And to everyone who did timer/run order duty too (Laura, Becca, Mary, Sandy, Emily, and probably others I may have missed)! Sally was awesome help in the mornings getting the breakfast stuff set up and especially making sure that the coffee was ready to go and properly made (a crucial thing, considering I am a non-coffee drinker!). I'm not the best of hostesses, but Sally was a GREAT guest (I like the kind who can fend for themselves, are willing to step over the old dog sleeping next to the tub, and don't mind cats who sleep on their beds )! And I think maybe Faith and Violet had a good time too. The round pen would have been much wilder if we hadn't had Laura's dorper x ewes (courtesy of Robin's athlete-sheep training program) to keep things sane. The field sheep (Laura's hair lambs with a karakul lamb or two thrown in) were a bit more challenging, but still were workable (when they didn't decide to go ditch-diving anyway). But of course the best part was the instruction itself and all the participants who made it possible. It never ceases to amaze me the way the dogs and their handlers change over the course of three days, and they do it without a lot of drilling. It was thrilling to see some of the absolute novice handlers "get it" in the round pen and have a complete paradigm shift and start implementing Jack's methods--and to see the positive responses from their dogs was even better. I know how hard it can be to try and take it all in, do it yourself with Jack and a bunch of other folks watching, and not feel like a complete bumbling idiot. Sometimes it's a little frustrating because what comes to the clinician so naturally seems to the rest of us like trying to become fluent in Mandarin in a day or two, but I can honestly say that every single person and dog made improvements, and there were a lot of "aha!" moments. Karen and Cindy definitely won the "longest road" award for driving all the way up from Florida. I was glad you could make it and glad to know you made it home safely. I think Cindy's Hope made some of the biggest strides of all over the three days. And Karen's newest foster Grace (aka "the feral puppy") is like 1,000 times cuter in person than she is in pictures on this forum. If anyone's thinking they might want her, you better get her while the gettin's good! Little Grace found a BFF in Sally's Faith and they had the best time playing. Sally's newest foster Scot (at least that's what we were calling him over the weekend) is certainly NOT a small dog and most likely does have something like pyr mixed in, but boy was he a sweet, well-mannered fellow. I too think it was great to meet a bunch of new folks and to put faces to names of some others. Now I think I need a nice nap. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1sheepdoggal Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 The food, the host and hostess, the farm, the folks, the dogs, the sheep, it was all great! Being my first clinic, and never having met Jack before, much less knew what his training philosophies were, what an eye opener, and with everyone so fun, and gracious, I would think for me, that Julie, Jimmy, ( and his lovely mom who I got to talk to a bit when I should have been paying attention to Jack) really set a standard for me as far as clinics go, and I am already looking forward to next year, while still reeling from the past weekends learning process. I couldnt say enough good about how simple Jack's teaching process is, and he made it fun too. What a personality! What I think made it very wonderful for me, was that in my mind, I had built Jack up as being "The" Jack Knox" when in all acuality, he is very humble and just a regular Joe. Not in the least bit intimidating. Though I will admit, that the weekend has left me mentally and physically drained, it was such a sensory overload, that Im glad to be back home, where I can apply what Ive learned, and eagerly await the results. It was great to meet everyone, and interact, tells me Im spending to much time at home and need to get out more! I tried lamb for the first time, and am now a convert. Yummy! Even now, I am still reeling and trying to absorb all that I have heard, seen, learned, and enjoyed. Couldnt have been a better experience for me. I dont think I could name everyone off individually, as I feel that everyone there played their own role in making the experience so sucsessful and great for me, so I would like to extend my heart filled Thanks to everyone there, particapants, hosts, friends, and their family members, Jack, everyone, Thank You! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 What a fun weekend! Thank you so much to Julie & Jimmy for hosting all of us - for opening your home and for the wonderful breakfasts and lunches! Special thanks to Ida, too, for her wonderful food, and to Mary Luper with her yummy Lamb! I had an absolute ball, and it was great to get to know so many new folks, and to also see some folks from previous years as well. The weather held up pretty nicely for us - and other than a tiny bit of wind here or there it was really nice! I feel like I learned a lot, and Jack was wonderful as usual. I'm pretty wiped out, so I believe I'll go crawl into my cave tonight with my warm fuzzy slippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 I am SO bummed that I couldn't come this year. SO bummed. I am glad it went so very well for everyone but I was sure it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Sue, There's always next year, and if you're not up for training a dog, audit spots are always available! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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